Laughter through Tears

Wow, there has been a lot of laughter...and tears the past week.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that one of my favorite movies is Steel Magnolias. There is a quote from the movie that is appropriate for any occasion! Today's applicable quote is "Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion".

Last Tuesday we put together a day trip to NYC for the Seniors in ACF. Here are a few pics.

Talk about a lot of laughs and great memories!

ANNNNDDD then came graduation. I wish I had I had a group pic to post here...but I did not get one with my camera so I have to wait until they are posted on FB to share with you all.

It is hard to see them go. Graduation gets harder and harder each year. One of the many reasons this class was special is that 2 of the girls who accepted Christ in the fall graduated. In my head, I am thinking "It's not fair! I want more time with them!" They are BABIES!!! But then I come to my senses and realize that the time we had with them was a gift. Both of them are growing like wildfire in the knowledge and understanding of the Lord. What better hands can I leave them in?

Another graduate has been a Christian since middle school, but her faith came ALIVE this year like never before. Right now she is in training for a summer of leading a Christian camp for teens. Here is her blog if you are interested in checking it out. I read it this morning and just wept...tears of Joy. Check out her "about me" profile....it says

I am madly in love with Jesus and following Him through everything I do. I've only recently learned to fully let go and have faith He will guide me and my life has been all the better for it. God is so good.

Ummmmm....just so proud...and humbled...and realizing afresh that it is ALL Jesus. We are only tools, broken ones at that.

Seasons

So....I am not a fan of change. I like a schedule. I have a weekly routine with chores, meetings, and ministry stuff. This all works out well for 8 months of the year when students are around and life is crazy busy. But right about this time of year I start to loose steam, and then graduation comes and we have to say goodbye to students who we have come to love and are a part of our family. I DON'T LIKE IT.

When one thing in my routine gets thrown off the other things inevitably follow. I start dropping balls all over the place. The laundry doesn't get done, othodontist appointments are missed, I forget what day of the week it is. I am a MESS!

But I am coming to the realization that it really is OK. Things come in seasons for my life, it has always been that way now that I think about it. Moving a lot when I was younger, making new friends. It seems like even in our married life the same thing has happened. We have now lived in PA longer than we have lived anywhere else in our 10 year marriage. But the nature of campus ministry is change.

I recently completed a personality in leadership test and one of the encouraging things it came up with for me was to realize that "mentoring for the moment" is ok. There is no possible way someone with my personality can actively keep up with all the people/students in my life.

This concept is so freeing to me. I can get up in the morning and have one job...to love the people in front of me, and let the Lord work out the other details.

THAT is something I can rest in.

See these girls... (they all all dressed up for a dance they were in together)

I LOVE THEM.

Although I will miss them terribly, I know the Lord has BIG plans for their lives. I am honored, and blessed to have been a "mentor for a moment" of their lives.